Well, Im looking at the pics. The wheel dosn't look like it's made out of wood at all. It dosn't look like gold eaither. Some of the wheels don't even look like wheels. So how do I know the one in the picture isn't made of iron?
In his article he says he found 8-spoked, 6-spoked, etc. So now what? I cant see the, touch them, test them. They may very well be iron.
Their are coverd in silt for crine out loud!
Furthermore, do you know what happens to wooden ships when they sink?
They rot away.
Wood dosn't survive well in water. Just recently in GA they pulled up one of the old iron-clads from the civil war. That's about 200 years ago. The thing was bearly recognizable. The wood that remained was so fragile that it was pretty much compleate mush.
I have seen some other wrecks of phonecian vessels. There is no wood left at all, the only way you know there is a wreck there is because of the left over cargo.
So I say your wheel there is either a) a recent plant b) made of some other material c) something else entirely.
But it certainly ain't no 5000 year old chariott wheel.
Oh, and I still say it's a valve!
I mean honestly, how can you tell its even metal from that picture?
Some people are sooo gulible.